Joynal Abedin Khan :Breaching of electoral code of conduct and spates of violence continue in different districts, leaving two persons dead, as the third phase of Union Parishad (UP) polls starts today (Saturday). Elections to 620 UPs in 48 districts will take place without any break from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Meanwhile, campaigns for all chairman, general and reserved seat candidates ended at midnight on Thursday.The government has declared public holiday in the election areas on the day of polling. Ban on traffic movement excluding the vehicles having stickers of the Election Commission (EC) has been imposed in the areas.More than 19 million voters are expected to cast their votes in the third phase elections. A total of 2,992 chairmen, 6,298 female members (reserve) and 20,943 members are contesting in the third phase polls. Of them, 1,543 candidates are nominated by 14 political parties, including Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dak (JSD), Workers Party, Islami Andalon, National Peoples Party and Khelafat Majlish.The Awami League has thrown in 639 chairman candidates, the BNP 539, the Jatiya Party 167, the JSD 26, the Workers Party 12, Islami Andalon 92, National Peoples Party 3 and Khelafat Majlish 2. There are also 1,185 independent chairman aspirants. Ruling party’s 25 chairman, 79 female and 179 male member candidates have already been elected uncontested in this phase. Over 100,000 election officials and around 150,000 members of different law enforcing agencies will be on duty on elections day, EC officials said. Members of law enforcement agencies, including police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) are working in the field. All election materials, including ballot papers and boxes, have reached the polling centers, said the officials.Besides, the judicial and executive magistrates will do their duties to help ensure fair polls.Amid criticisms, the EC has urged the law enforcing agencies to take effective steps against violence.Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad said, “The UP election is always troublesome. Violence always occurs due to party feuds and polls-related reasons. But we’ll take stern action to prevent this.” The EC received an assurance from the Awami League Chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a message on Thursday that her party wanted fair polls.Following her instructions, ruling party Joint General Secretary Mahbub-Ul-Alam Hanif also asked the EC to take legal steps against any of their leaders or activists if found involved in acts of indiscipline. The Commission has also asked, for the sake of fair polls, Awami League leaders and activists ‘not to cross limits’.Meanwhile, the EC has withdrawn the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Gazipur and two Officers-in-Charge (OCs) of Kapasia and Sreepur police stations of the district.The are SP Harun-Ar-Rashid, and Kapasia OC Mir Rakibul Haque and Sreepur OC Asaduzzaman. In Rangpur, a man was killed and 15 other also injured in election violence in Kafrikhal UP under Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur district on Thursday night. The victim has been identified as Abdul Hannan, 35, said Md Mohidul Islam, Inspector (Investigation)of Mithapukur Police Station. In Gazipur, member aspirant AL leader Akhter Khandaker, 45, was hacked to death around 10:00pm on Tuesday, reports our correspondent. Police and witnesses said Akhter was returning to his house on a motorcycle when miscreants stopped him, indiscriminately chopped him and left him dead on the spot, said Asaduzzaman, OC of Sreepur police. In Chittagong, Fatikchhari upazila unit BNP convener at a press conference yesterday alleged that AL men were threatening their candidates and obstructing them from electioneering.In Nilphamari, tension prevails at Dimla upazila as AL and JP came face to face over elections to seven UPs. Both groups are verbally attacking each other, triggering fears among locals of deadly clashes anytime, reports our correspondent.In Bogra, a mobile court fined two chairman aspirants of Gosaibari UP under Dhunat upazila.In Munshiganj, allegations are raised against a member aspirant of Haldia UP under Louhajang upazila that he is running campaign with live ‘hen’, his election symbol, violating the electoral code. Contacted, EC Secretariat Deputy Director Shamsul Alam, said “The law enforcers are active in the field since two days before the polls. They have been directed to maintain the highest caution to prevent violence.”The EC has directed the outsiders to leave the poll areas to avert any situations during the election, he said. The EC has a plan to arrange elections to 4,275 UPs out of the country’s 4,546 ones in six phases being held along political party lines for the first time. The fourth phase will start on May 7 in 728 UPs, while the fifth on May 28 in 714 UPs, and the sixth phase on June 4 in 660 Ups.Earlier, polls to 1,364 UPs were held in two phases on March 22 and March 31. Both the phases witnessed widespread violence and irregularities that left at least 35 people dead and more than 1,000 wounded.
